18th Century Shoulder Yokes

Last updated: Jan 7, 2024

A shoulder yoke (sometimes called a halter) allows the wearer to carry two buckets or pails, balancing the weight across the user’s shoulders. Most of the the 18th century illustrations of shoulder yokes are depictions of milkmaids.

• Laitiere Holandoise, c. 1695-1730
• South view of St. John’s Gate, 1720
• Diep Watersz: Strand: Staaten en andere Bockom
• A View of the London Spaw, 1731
• S. View of the New River Head, 1731
• Oostzaan, from Noordhollandsche Arkadien, 1732
• A boxing match in London by Andreas Möller, 1737
• The Milk-Maid on May-Day by J.S. Müller, 1740
• The Distrest Poet by William Hogarth, 1740
• A milkmaid and her swain on a woodland path by Paul Sandby
• A sheet of figure studies by Paul Sandby
• A View of Fulham Bridge and Putney, c. 1745-1755
• A Milkmaid Climbing a Stile by Thomas Gainsborough, ca. 1750
• The Painters March from Finchly, 1754
• London Cries: A Milkmaid by Paul Sandby, c. 1759
• La donna della latte, c. 1765
• Sehthe melk and Karpen in the Cries of Danzig, c. 1765
• Onoe Kikugoro as Murasame carrying salt-pans and another actor as Murasame carrying salt-pans by Ippitsusai Buncho
• Gezight buyte Harelem
• Spring and Winter. Le Printemps et l’Hiver, c. 1785-1786
• A judge carrying milk-pails, illustration from the Rambler’s Magazine, 1786
• A harbor scene, 1787
• View of Wellins Farm in Marylebone by J. White, 1789
• Figure studies by Thomas Rowlandson, c. 1790-1792
• Gateway of the old palace at Richmond, 1791
• A milkmaid from The Looking Glass for the Mind, 1792
• The Windsor Milkman, 1792
• Cries of London: Milk below Maids, 1793
• Flemish Characters, 1793
• Lottery sheet
• The Taylor Done Over!, 1794
• Punch’s Puppet Shew, 1795
• View of Somerset House, 1797
• Characters in the Streets of London by Benjamin West, 1799
• The Enraged Polician or the Sunday Reformer or a Noble Belman crying stinking fish, 1799
• Collin and Phillis